The Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Little Rock District, is revising the Master Plan for Clearwater Lake. 

The Master Plan guides the management of the government lands around the lake.  The Master plan affects future management of natural resources and recreational opportunities to ensure the sustainability of both lakes.

The Master Plan revision has classified land and water usage across the project.  Auxiliary plans such as the Operational Management Plan are developed and operate under the umbrella of the Master Plan. This is your opportunity to let USACE know how you would like the lake to be managed for the future.

The planning process included an analysis of potential effects on the natural and social environment, including fish and wildlife, recreation opportunities, economics, land use, cultural and historical resources, aesthetics, and public health and safety.

A master plan is the guidance document that describes how the resources of the lake will be managed in the future and provides the vision for how the lake should look in the future.  After the master plan is revised, the operational management plan would be revised to be consistent with the goals identified in the master plan.

Development of the revised master plan may include consideration of:

• Regional and ecosystem needs
• Project resource capabilities and suitability for various purposes
• Public interests and desires

• Incorporate current mapping technology and Master Plan format;
• Incorporate current USACE policies/regulations, budget processes, business line performance measures, and priorities;
• Address customer use trends and facility and service demands;
• Demands on fixed resources challenge the existing master plan;
• Address current shoreline development resulting in environmental and management issues;
• Partners and stakeholders are engaged with USACE and seek to increase and sustain benefits provided by the lake; 
• To provide an alternative recreational and natural resource experience for visitors to the White River watershed projects;
• To ensure project lands and water are not adversely impacted and maintain high quality natural resources for current and future generations;
• To align current management practices and land classifications.

The current Clearwater Lake Master Plan was developed over 50 years ago and is currently outdated.  The Master Plan revision will classify the government lands around the lake based on environmental and socioeconomic considerations, public input, and an evaluation of past, present, and forecasted trends.

Lands may be classified into one of these categories:

Project Operations: lands required for the dam, spillway, offices, and other areas used solely for the operation of the reservoir.

High Density Recreation: lands acquired for project operations and designated for use as parks or other areas for intensive recreational activities by the visiting public. New private floating facilities would not be allowed in these areas.

Environmentally Sensitive Areas: lands designated for areas where scientific, ecological, cultural, or aesthetic features have been identified. These areas are managed to protect their environmental resources.

Multiple Resource Management Lands: This classification allows for the designation of a predominant use with the understanding that other compatible uses may also occur on these lands, these additional uses may include:

Low Density Recreation: lands classified for use for activities such as hiking trails, primitive camping, limited lake access points, and other similar low-density activities by the visiting public. Private floating facilities may be permitted in these areas in accordance with the lake Shoreline Management Plan.

Wildlife Management: lands allocated as habitat for fish and wildlife and are generally open for hunting and fishing.

Future/Inactive Recreation Areas: Lands intended for recreation, but which were never developed or have been closed.

Vegetative Management: Lands designated for stewardship of forest, prairie, and other native vegetative cover.

Water Surface: For those projects that administer a surface water zoning program, this will be included in the Master Plan revision process.

Restricted: Water areas restricted for project operations, safety, and security purposes.

Designated No-Wake: To protect environmentally sensitive shoreline areas, recreational water access areas from disturbance, and for public safety.

Fish and Wildlife Sanctuary: Annual or seasonal restrictions on areas to protect fish and wildlife species during periods of migrations, resting, feeding, nesting, and/or spawning.

Open Recreation: Those waters available for year-round or seasonal water-based recreational use.